Cool Blue Reason

This just in. We were invited to swear in as Peace Corps Volunteers. We accepted, of course. in a few short hours we will take an oath that will solidify our commitment and responsibility to the PC program here in Mauritania.

We had to move the ceremony from one room to 2 others because one is full of some crap, literally.

There will be formal stuff all day today and much less formal celebration this evening. I get to help cook.

I will do my best to preserve these events with a photo or 2.

I wish that you guys could be here to share this event with us.

What I Got

It's been a while since I have written so I should have a lot to talk about, I will try.

The coup = boring. I know that the situation could change at any moment but the history of this country really tells us it wont.

Family. Our family kinda moved to the brusse, and that was weird but not really. They are pastoral so every year when the rains start they take their animals out and make sure they get better care. This is the mark of a people who are kind to their animals and who know that eating garbage is not a great thing for the animals of the people who will later eat them. We were by no means abandoned, we always had an adult around at night and a child most of the time, it just rotated.

Language is coming along, we can communicate with a wide variety of people now for various different reasons. That is pretty cool. I can even bargain at the market, and LOVE IT! I even catch myself thinking in French and using franglish. When I use both languages talking to two people it really hurts my head, it's a world of silliness.

Work. I have been working my buns off lately and so has Kristy. With stage coming to a close we are solidifying all of our projects and filling out evaluations like there is no tomorrow. Peace Corps loves these things, seriously. Model school was a pretty good experience. It reminded me of student teaching, which if you talked to me much when I did it you know I loved teaching but did not love the added work load. I think that regular teaching was easier on my life as a whole, and expect that the same will apply here.

Ups. I am so looking forward to moving to Kaedi, and starting work that we came here for. I know it wont happen for the first month, because of Ramadan. It is the month before school and the month that we arrive. People will not want to work, talk, walk, or anything because they will not be eating, drinking, smoking, or anything while the sun is up.

Downs. I have been crabby lately. I am tired and hungry. This will change after stage as my schedule will be a lot more like I am an adult instead of teenager - adolescence is not fun. Not having the liberty of choosing when and what I eat for example is not something I have had chosen for me for a long, long time. This is going to end though. Wo0t!!!1!

I think that this experience is reforging my very being, it has been worth every moment.

Yellow Submarine

I have only like 2 min left... We are safe, life is good.

Do not worry. There is a link to a news article about the oh so boring coup on Kristy's blog - or use google people who have constant access to the interweb.


peace out yo!

Into the Great Wide Open

Life is good-ish!

I started model school today, think student teaching Peace Corps style, real students real english really new situation.

Model school humbled me today, as I knew it would. It did this for me three times. First when I was teaching and realized I underestimated my students and planned far too simple a lesson. Second when some of the things that I attempted were actually not so bad, considering I barely speak English this is a boon. Third, when I was walking to the cyber today I was called "Teacher" by a student that I had today.

This last time reminds me, why I became a teacher & why we came to the desert. I really feel that the small impact that I will do here will do some good!

My language skills are getting noticibly better, as are my lovely wife's and we are hanging in there for the long haul.

Gosh I miss air conditioning